Hello PC,

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. I used to have a lot of problems with self-injury starting when I was only 12. Have you ever seen a counselor? I ask because when you said you're having problems cleaning clutter that was my problem as well when I was very depressed. For me it the clutter was causing anxiety and making my life hard to control. It was almost like a messy room meant a messy mind. And because I wasn't organized starting any new habits like exercise or a healthy diet was hard. I do understand that you live in a cold part of the US, but baby steps like were posted above are a great place to start.

The internet can be an addiction just as much as junk food! Maybe you could spend part of your time writing in a journal, reading books, writing and reading positive affirmations that can boost your self-esteem. I listen to self-guided meditation with ear buds on my smart phone. They also have many apps for weight loss, self-esteem, anxiety etc. I think it's also good to understand that you didn't gain the weight overnight, so weight loss is a journey that takes time. Most people who crash diet or starve have a hard time maintaining the weight loss. I sometimes watch TV shows or youtube videos about weight loss for inspiration, and a good website is T.O.P.S. - take off pounds sensibly. I try to eat real food instead of man made engineered food products by shopping on the outskirts of grocery stores.

Like was said above, you've made the first step by posting here, and that takes courage!

Peace,

TnT